Fremantle UK takes minority stake in Craft Films
What's the deal? Fremantle UK has acquired a minority stake in Craft Films, a multi-genre production company that works across branded, commercial, digital, and long-form content. The deal brings the London-based outfit — founded in 2016 by Nick Brown, Rob Davies, and Phil Myers — into the Fremantle family.
Craft Films produces content spanning programme production, brand campaigns, digital content, and title sequences for leading brands, broadcasters, and platforms. Its credits include work for Ford, Expedia, and major entertainment formats like Big Brother and Strictly Come Dancing.
The two companies have a prior relationship: Craft previously partnered with Fremantle on bespoke campaigns, including content for the M&S Food and Britain's Got Talent collaboration.
Why now? The deal reflects Fremantle's push to strengthen its branded and digital capabilities at a time when demand for multi-platform storytelling continues to grow. For Craft, the partnership provides the scale and global reach it needs as it looks to expand its New York and London offices.
"This investment strengthens our ability to offer clients innovative, multi-platform storytelling and reflects our continued focus on growing our branded and digital capabilities," said Amelia Brown, chief executive officer of Fremantle UK.
What could go wrong? Minority stakes in creative businesses can be tricky. Founders retain control but may face pressure to align with a larger parent's priorities. The challenge will be preserving Craft's independent creative identity while leveraging Fremantle's infrastructure.
The signal: Big entertainment companies are increasingly investing in smaller, agile content shops that specialise in branded and digital work. As the line between advertising and entertainment blurs, owning these capabilities in-house becomes a competitive advantage. Fremantle's move signals that even traditional TV powerhouses see branded content as a core growth driver — not a sideshow.
Read more: fremantle.com
